PAN-CHAN'S REVIEWS

NARUTO
DUB EPISODE 19 -- "The Demon in Snow"

• This is the last episode of the Hidden Mist arc, and as such, it ended the storyline with Zabuza and Haku, as well as the bridge.

• Zabuza's last battle is powerful. His arms are paralyzed and with only a kunai in his mouth, he goes after Gatou and his men.

• Wasn't it handy for Gatou to round up all those underlings at one place so they could've all been disposed of together?

• I could be wrong, but I didn't notice any edits in the fighting sequence. They even had a "squishing" sound of blood when Zabuza moved.

• Zabuza and Kakashi stopped fighting the second Zabuza was no longer employed by Gatou. They shift to a relationship of mutual respect and understand for each other's shinobi way. Moreover, later in the episode, Kakashi says, "Shinobi are merely in the hands of destiny. There's no point in wondering right or wrong. There just is." It's an interesting life view and says something about Kakashi.

• I love what Naruto says when he snaps at Zabuza for not caring about Haku's death. I know it was cheesy, but it was still one impressive speech that showed just as much about Naruto's personality as it did about Zabuza's. For some reason, the speech impacted me greater in English.

• This episode has my favorite art in the entire series. I've seen a truckload of this series (if you're wondering, I am currently unmotivated to watch the filler arc of never-ending death), and this episode has my favorite artwork by far. Between the colors and the fluid style, it's gorgeous. The scene where Sasuke wakes up with Sakura crying over him is especially beautiful, as is the last scene with Zabuza and Haku.

• The last scene with Zabuza and Haku is one of the most moving in the series. Zabuza rests his hand against Haku's cheek and wishes that he could go to heaven so he could live with Haku in peace.

• "Believe it" count: 0 (but the awesomeness of this episode more than makes up for it)

• The Chunin Exam in next. Dun dun dun.